Right or left?

[ScotFinn65]

Any opinions on which direction presents less difficulties when doing Ring of Steall? (Summer conditions). Clockwise or Anti-clockwise?

[Backpacker]

When I do it again I'll be ascending Sgurr a'Mhaim the descent off it is absolutely god awful

[Sunset tripper]

I've done it both ways and I don't think it makes too much difference. I think some folk prefer to go clockwise to get the rope bridge out of the way at the beginning.
Though the bridge is easier to cross going the opposite direction.
The only thing I would suggest is to do the road walking at the start of the day and use the riverside path instead of the road for part of it.

I did it clockwise earlier this year.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=73088

[raykilhams]

Only done it once and I have to agree with Backpacker that the descent of Sgurr a'Mhaim was a pain in the posterior and knees , but then again after passing a small group of German Walkers ascending it looked to me as if going down was probably the easier option and I'm an uppy .
By the way the wire bridge is a doddle .

[jmarkb]

Technically the direction makes no real difference: the trickiest sections are on horizontal ridges.

There is an interesting way of avoiding the upper section of the descent/ascent of Sgurr a' Mhaim. In descent, take the NE ridge (a little mild scrambling) to a small col at 950m, and then follow the old stalkers path that goes down through Coire Sgorach and then round left to reach a grassy shelf at 650m. Follow the shelf leftwards (slightly uphill) for 200m to join the normal NW ridge route. This stalkers path is not marked on older 1:50k maps.

Alternatively, it is possible to ascend/descend the NE/NNE ridge in its entirety from Steall. However, route finding through the trees and rocky outcrops above the hut is tricky: there is a useful description and map in Dan Bailey's Scotland's Mountain Ridges guidebook.

[madprof]

When I do it again I'll be ascending Sgurr a'Mhaim the descent off it is absolutely god awful

I don't recall this...I have done the Ring of Steall (clockwise) in two parts. Going up via the Devil's Ridge was interesting but the descent seemed fairly straightforward...? Did I miss something?

Please don't say "I went back down to Steall" because this will make me cry. I couldn't even get up from there, which is why we ran out of daylight first time.

[Backpacker]

When I do it again I'll be ascending Sgurr a'Mhaim the descent off it is absolutely god awful

I don't recall this...I have done the Ring of Steall (clockwise) in two parts. Going up via the Devil's Ridge was interesting but the descent seemed fairly straightforward...? Did I miss something?

Please don't say "I went back down to Steall" because this will make me cry. I couldn't even get up from there, which is why we ran out of daylight first time.

Took the standard route down, just found it hellish on the knees

[PerthAlly]

I did it clockwise.

The descent off Sgurr a'Mhaim wasn't fun due to scree. I'd to ascend this way.

And take lots of water as there's isn't much available after the wire bridge.

Enjoy. It's a cracking day out

[Sunset tripper]

There is an interesting way of avoiding the upper section of the descent/ascent of Sgurr a' Mhaim. In descent, take the NE ridge (a little mild scrambling) to a small col at 950m, and then follow the old stalkers path that goes down through Coire Sgorach and then round left to reach a grassy shelf at 650m. Follow the shelf leftwards (slightly uphill) for 200m to join the normal NW ridge route. This stalkers path is not marked on older 1:50k maps.

Great info. I have seen that path ( it looked like a track in parts) when on the approach to and on the Devils ridge. Also you can see it clearly on the west side of Sgurr a Mhaim if you are on Stob Ban. I often wondered what it was like and even if it was there at all going round through the crags on the other side of the hill. Have you followed it all the way? If so is it easy to follow? I might give it a go anyway linked with an ascent from the Steall rope bridge.
It's a great hill though quite complex in parts.
Cheers

[jmarkb]

You’re welcome!

I’ve done the section I described and also the zigzags above Lochan Coire nam Miseach. Both are easy to follow on the ground but would easily get buried under snow. I haven’t done the section on the E side of the Devil’s Ridge, which would be interesting: it appears to traverse some pretty steep terrain!

[jupe1407]

As Backpacker says, the descent off Sgurr a'Mhaim is a never-ending exercise in sustained knee pain, however doing it the other way means a shorter but horrendously steep descent on fairly loose terrain from Am Bodach, and sections of the descent of An Gearanach would be a bit sore on the knees as well. I've done it twice, clockwise both times

[Robinho08]

I'd say start with Sgurr a'Mhaim first as the walk out back to the car park is downhill and you avoid that brutal decent.

Also you don't have to cross the wire bridge if the river isn't in spate. We crossed further up stream no problem at all.